1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to devices used for facilitating the removal of tissue portions during surgical procedures and, more particularly, to devices for removing tissue portions during minimally invasive surgical procedures. The present disclosure further relates to methods of collapsing the devices disclosed herein in order to reduce the cross-sectional profile thereof.
2. Background of Related Art
As a result of technological improvements in surgical instruments, surgical procedures using minimally invasive techniques can be performed causing less trauma to the patient. It is desirable to use smaller incisions so that a trocar or a cannula inserted into the incision is desirably smaller. Minimally invasive surgical procedures, however, have their limitations as the use of smaller diameter trocars require increasingly innovative and novel solutions for many traditional instrument applications such as tissue removal instruments. Tissue removal instruments have tissue removal bags carried on deformable or inflatable frames which also define the opening of the bag. The inflatable frame instruments have openings that require an additional system for pressurization of the frame and/or bag which may also be a separately inflated member. Inflatable tissue removal instruments are vulnerable to accidental perforations and/or deflation, and are dependent upon the rigidity of the inflatable structure to support and contain the tissue as it is loaded into the bag and withdrawn through the trocar. It is desirable to decrease the cross-sectional area of the instrument for use with reduced diameter trocar systems.
A continuing need exists for an improved tissue removal system having a reduced cross-sectional diameter for passage through reduced diameter cannulas of trocar systems.